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Development of a rapid antiviral screening assay based on eGFP reporter virus of Mayaro virus

Xiaodan Li1, Hongqing Zhang2, Yanan Zhang2

  • 1Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; Hunan Normal University School of Medicine, Changsha, 410081, China.

Antiviral Research
|June 1, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Mayaro virus (MAYV) infection lacks specific treatments. Researchers developed a Mayaro virus eGFP reporter assay for efficient antiviral screening, identifying 6-Azauridine as a potential inhibitor.

Area of Science:

  • Virology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Drug Discovery

Background:

  • Mayaro virus (MAYV) is a neglected mosquito-borne alphavirus causing symptoms similar to Chikungunya (CHIKV), Dengue (DENV), and Zika virus (ZIKV).
  • There are currently no specific treatments or vaccines available for MAYV infection, highlighting an urgent need for therapeutic interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate an efficient antiviral screening assay for Mayaro virus (MAYV).
  • To identify potential novel inhibitors against MAYV replication using the developed assay.

Main Methods:

  • Construction of infectious clones for Mayaro virus (MAYV) strain BeAr 20290 and a genetically engineered eGFP reporter virus.
  • Validation of the MAYV-eGFP reporter virus for genetic stability and replication capacity in BHK-21 cells.
  • Confirmation of assay utility using ribavirin as a known inhibitor and screening of compounds, including 6-Azauridine.

Main Results:

  • The MAYV-eGFP reporter virus demonstrated high replication capacity, comparable to wild-type MAYV, and maintained genetic stability over multiple passages.
  • eGFP expression levels directly correlated with viral replication, confirming its utility as a reporter.
  • The assay successfully identified 6-Azauridine, a compound previously known to be active against CHIKV and SFV, as a significant inhibitor of MAYV replication.

Conclusions:

  • The developed Mayaro virus (MAYV)-eGFP reporter virus serves as a robust and efficient tool for antiviral drug screening.
  • The compound 6-Azauridine exhibits significant antiviral activity against MAYV, representing a promising candidate for further therapeutic development.
Keywords:
Antiviral drug discoveryMayaro virusReporter virusReverse genetics

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